Post-punk band Rip Room headlines El Rio in San Francisco's Mission
Veteran San Francisco post-punk trio Rip Room headlines a three-band bill at venerable San Francisco Mission District Dive El Rio on Thursday night.
Founded by guitarist John Reed, bassist Sarah McKinney and original drummer Joe Barker, the group mixed elements of angular math rock, propulsive post-punk grooves and terse, surf-tinged guitar when they entered Louder Studios to record with noted producer/engineer Tim Green (Sleater-Kinny, Melvins, Howlin Rain, Six Organs of Admittance) for the band's bracing eponymous self-released EP issued in 2016.
The trio followed up with a second EP entitled Monsters the following year, again teaming with Green at Louder to track another salvo of snarling, bass-driven tunes. Barker would depart after that recording, with Gracie Malley stepping in as the band's new drummer and completing the current line-up. While it would be a number of years before the band would finally release a follow-up recording, Rip Room continued to play regular gigs around the Bay Area, establishing themselves as notable post-punk players on the San Francisco scene.
Downtime during the pandemic gave Rip Room a chance to record its latest collection of art-punk anthems entitled Alight and Resound for Spartan Records. Once again recording with Green (who also plays on the effort), the new album at points recalls Gang of Four, Devo and SF '80s jazz-punks the Rhythm Pigs on such enervating tunes as "Complicated" and "Worth Repeating." In addition to playing the 30th anniversary Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco and the Sled Island Music and Arts Festival in Calgary last year, the band embarked on an extensive 10-date tour of Japan in the fall.
For this show put on by promoter Bad Acid Presents at the El Rio in the Mission District Thursday night, Rip Room are joined by SF punk band Leather Pet (featuring members of Scraper, Glitter Wizard and Urban Sprawl) who released their debut album in December and gothic San Francisco post-punk quartet the Gallery.
Rip Room with Leather Pet and the Gallery
Thursday, April 3, 8 p.m. $12
El Rio
